E  P  O  R  T 

®F  THE 

COMMITTEE 

ON  THE 

PROTECTION  of  COMMERCE, 

AND  THE 

DEFENCE  OF  THE  COUNTRY, 

TO   WHOM    WAS   REFERRED,  THE 

MEMORIAL 

OF  THE 

NEW-YORK  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE. 


2d  April,  1798, 

Referred  to  the  Committee  of  the  whole  Houfe,  on 
the  State  of  the  Union. 


[Publifhed  by  order  of  the  Houfe  of  Reprcfentatives.~\ 


REPORT. 


The  Committee,  on  that  part  of  the  Prefident's  Speech 
•which  relates  to  the  protection  of  commerce,  and  the  de- 
fence of  the  eountry,-  to  whom  was  referred  the  memorial 
of  the  New-York  Chamber  of  Commerce, 

REPORT— 

THAT  the  very  extenfive  fortifications,  which  are 
rcquifitc  to  place  the  harbour  of  New-York  in  a 
poflure  of  defence  and  fecurity,  are  incomplete,  not- 
withflanding  the  efforts  which  have  been  made,  in  part, 
by  the  United  States,  and  principally  by  the  Mate  of 
New- York,  towards  effecting  this  defirable  purpofe. 
Under  the  direction  of  the  Prefident  of  the  United  States, 
and  purfuant  to  the  act  to  provide  for  the  defence  of  cer- 
tain ports  and  harbors,  the  fum  of  thirteen  thoufand,  five 
hundred  and  twenty-two  dollars,  and  thirty-fix  cents, 
was  expended  on  the  fortifications  in  New- York  harbor, 
in  the  year  one  thoufand  fcven  hundred  and  ninety-four; 
and  five  thoufand  dollars  were  remitted  for  the  fame  ob- 
ject in  one  thoufand  feven  hundred  and  ninety-fix.  The 
ftate  of  New-York  has  expended  much  larger  fums  in 
trt^  fame  period,  and  to  this  time  ;  and  thus  teveral  va- 
luable fortifications  have  been  ere6ted,  and  are  in  pro- 
grefs.  The  urlffnirhsd  ftate  of  fome  of  thefe  fortifica 
tions,  and  the  general  deficiency  of  cannon  and  ammu- 
nition there,  require  the  attention  of  Congrefs,  at  this 
crifis  of  public  danger.  To  cover,  as  far  as  poffible,  this 
important  point  of  the  Union,  from  every  probability  of 
a  fuccefsful  attack,  additional  fortifications  are  undoubt- 


485 


edly  neceffary.  This  Congrefs,  in  their  late  feflion,  con- 
templated a  large  provifion  for  both  thefe  objects,  by  au- 
thorizing an  expenditure  by  any  flate,  of  the  balance  in 
which  they  had  been  found  indebted  to  the  United  States, 
in  fortifying  their  refpective  ports  and  harbors  ;  and  the 
Hate  of  New-York  being  the  mod  confiderable  of  the  in- 
debted ftates.  This  propofal  has  been,  however,  wholly 
neglected,  and  it  is  underftood,  that  the  provifo  of  a  ces- 
fion  of  the  lands  or  places  on  which  fortifications  lhall 
be  erected,  as  requilite  to  the  allowance  of  any  expen- 
diture, has  defeated  the  good  intentions  of  Congrefs  in 
this  regard. 

For  the  firfl  mentioned  object,  to  wit,  an  immediate 
fupply  towards  the  finilhing  of  the  fortifications  which 
have  been  commenced  in  the  harbor  of  New- York,  and 
tiua  providing  a  fufhciency  of  cannon  and  ammunition, 
the  Committee  recommend,  that  the  fame  be  confidered 
and  provided  in  the  general  appropriation,  which  has 
been  propofed  to  be  made  for  the  fortifying  of  certain 
ports  and  harbors. 

For  the  other  object,  additional  fortifications,  the 
Committee  recommend  a  revifion  of  the  act  paffed  in  the 
lad  feffion  of  this  Congrefs,  providing  for  the  further  de- 
fence of  the  ports  and  harbors  of  the  United  States  ;  and 
being  of  opinion,  that  a  ceflion  of  the  lands  or  places  on 
which  fortifications  fhall  be  ere&ed  is  not  effential  to  the 
due  exercife  of  the  powers  of  the  United  States,  for  the 
common  defence,  the  Committee  propofe  this  refolu- 
tion  : — 

Refohed,  That  a  bill  be  reported  to  repeal  the  provifo 
of  ceffion  in  the  aift  providing  for  the  further  defence  of 
the  ports  and  harbors  of -the  United  States,  and  to  pro- 
vide, in  lieu  thereof,  that  the  fortifications  which  lhall  be 
erected  and  allowed  for  by  the  United  States,  purfuant 
to  that  act,  fhall  become  the  property  of  the  United 
States  ;  alfo  to  provide,  that  any  Mate  which  fhall  accept 
of  the  propofal  made  by  the  faid  act,  and  proceed  to 
finifh  any  fortifications  heretofore  commenced,  and  which 
by  the  Prefident  of  the  United  States  fhall  be  judged  of 


486 


ufe  in  the  defence  of  any  port  or  harbor,  or  to  make  any 
additional  fortifications  under  his  direction,  fhall  be  al- 
lowed in  the  manner  propofed  by  the  faid  a£t,  as  well 
for  all  previous  expenditures  made  fince  the  twentieth  of 
March,  one  thoufand  feven  hundred  and  ninety-four,  as 
for  the  expenditures  which  fhall  be  made  purfuant  to  the 
faid  propofal,  not  exceeding  the  balance  in  which  fuch 
State  refpe&ively  has  been  found  indebted  to  the  United 
States. 


